Onus on private players to boost quality of higher education: Pranab Mukherjee
Kottayam: President Pranab Mukherjee said here on Friday that the private sector had a key role in improving the quality of higher education in the country.
“Our education system has to be geared up in terms of both quantity and quality. The demands of higher education can be met only if private sector participates in it along with the public sector institutions,” the President said while inaugurating the bicentenary celebrations of the CMS College.
He added that the efforts by our institutions in the recent past had produced
good results. Two Indian institutions have found place for the first time among the top 200 universities in the world in the rankings by a reputed agency.
Two other Indian institutions have been ranked within the top 20 small universities by another international agency, the President said. He recalled that the private sector had played a key role in higher education in many countries.
“Top international universities, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford are the results of private initiatives,” he said. “Education means building of character, tolerance and acceptance of diversity and unity in diversity,” he said.
The CMS College, he said, pioneered modern education in the state. He named some of the distinguished alumni of the college, including former president K.R. Narayanan, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, scholar diplomats Sardar K.M. Panikar and K.P.S. Menon, scientist Dr. E.C.G. Sudarshan, Justice K.T. Thomas and former chief editors of Malayala Manorama, Mammen Mappilai, K.M. Cherian and K.M. Mathew.
The President also unveiled the plaque to inaugurate the 200th anniversary of the college. Mr Oommen Chandy announced the special heritage status accorded to the college by the University Grants Commission. He said that the college was the epitome of modern education in the state.
Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam also said in his speech that the history of CMS College was the history of modern education. Chief Post Master-General A.M. Nanda released the bicentenary special postal cover by handing it over to the President. Transport and Sports Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Kottayam MP Jose K. Mani were also present among others.
Earlier, principal Roy Sam Daniel welcomed the gathering. Church of South India deputy moderator Thomas K. Oommen addressed the gathering.
Back in time with Cambridge course
The CMS College, Kottayam, was founded by John Munroe, the former Divan of Travancore, in 1817 and the classes were started on the basis of the Cambridge curriculum.
Benjamin Bailey, who established the first printing press in Kerala in Kottayam in October 1821, was the first Principal of the college. The locals called the college ‘Paditha Veedu’ or ‘Paditha Pura.’ It was the first college to introduce ‘English education’ in the country and the first to admit women students.
DC had reported first
According to a book written by Dr Babu Cherian, a Malayalam professor of the college, it was started in 1815. “Our official stand is that the college began functioning in 1817,” confirms Prof Roy Sam Daniel, Principal. Its alumni include former president K.R. Narayanan, former diplomat K.P.S. Menon and renowned scientist E.C.G. Sudarashan.
